Dents

[+] Don Quixote's Christmas Bonanza

I woke up on the sofa in the common room. It was cleared of the mounds of clutter it was often home to. My winter coat had been peeled off and was lying in a wet puddle beside me. The sleeve was drenched. It hung loosely, the occasional drip tapping upon the floorboards with an uneven rhythm. A space heater hummed loudly, spitting out stalled puffs of hot air.

I'd been stripped down to the under layer of my clothes. I was wearing only a camisole and boyshorts. Someone had bundled me tightly in several large flannel blankets.

When I opened my eyes, I saw 2D seated on top of the coffee table before me. His eyes were strung out and tired. His posture was poor. He flipped a switchblade around in his left hand with a practiced motion, seeking a distraction from the near-hypothermic girl on his couch.

He hadn't noticed that I'd woken up. I silently watched him for a bit, enthralled by the pirouettes of the blade.

He glimpsed me, troubled. It took him a second look to register that I was awake.

2D leaned over me and rested a free hand on my shoulder, snapping the switchblade shut and slipping it into his pocket.

"Aye there, sleepy head."

"Hey."

My throat felt like it was caked with sand.

"Yew alrigh'? Yew really 'ad me worried there fo' a while. Are yew cold?"

"Not anymore," I sat up. The blankets rolled off of me and splayed over the cushions.

"Did you bring me home?"

"Yew don't rememba?"

"Not really."

2D returned to his concerned demeanor. A bothered look cast over him. It wasn't well-suited to his innocent features.

"Yeh, I found yew lyin' in the snow on a bench in the middle ov nowhere. Noodle tol' me yew got lost. I tried callin' but I couldn't get ahold of yew."

He exhaled. His shoulders slumped.

"If et wasn't fo' her settin' me in the righ' direction, I'd probably still be out lookin' 'round fo' yew. Why didn't yew call me?"

Regret fashioned a pit in my stomach. I was upset that I caused him so much worry when all I wanted was to make him happy.

"I'm sorry, 'D. I tried. I couldn't reach anyone."

"S'alrigh', Saoirse. I'm jus' glad yew're alrigh'. Couldn't 'ave asked fo' mo' than 'at."

"I... Thank you for finding me and taking me home."

I thought about mentioning how scared I'd been, and my weird experience with the shopkeeper, but decided against it. It would probably only serve to cause him further distress.

"Where is everyone?"

"They're 'eaded back now. We were out lookin' fo' yew all frough town. I jus' gave 'em a ring and let 'em know I got yew home," he explained.

"Might want to change yewr clothes, luv. I brought yew some jammies from upstairs."

A light bulb flicked on in my mind. I had forgotten something crucial.

I launched myself from the sofa in a panic. I almost fell into the coffee table head first. 2D caught me by the arms just before I stumbled straight through the manufactured wood top. It was a good thing he had, too, because with how weak I felt the table likely could have kicked my arse.

2D's grip was cold and clammy. I worried that he'd become ill thanks to searching for me in the snow all night long.

I was preoccupied with something else, however.